Ok so this recipe is insane. Cinnamon swirl, moist banana bread.. NO GUILT! I’ve made a lot of bananas bread in my day. Paleo, gluten free, whole wheat, chocolate chip, blueberry, coconut etc… but I have to say, this one might be my new favourite.

This recipe is made with coconut and almond flour (paleo friendly, grain free) so you get a good dose of healthy fats, fibre and protein and a lighter load of carbohydrates. The bananas are loaded with vitamins and good carbohydrates to give you loads of energy to get through your day! The ooey gooey filling is just like that of a cinnamon bun without the sticks of butter and heaps of brown sugar. The only added sugar you’ll find in this recipe is in that cinnamon swirl that is made up of natural coconut sugar. Coconut sugar comes from dried coconut sap that is then crystallized to create an amazing sugar alternative. It contains potassium, iron and vitamins. It has been said to even help prevent the blood sugar crashes that make you hungry. The rest of the bread is sweetened naturally with the ripe bananas and just a few drops of stevia!
I realized recently that I share a lot of tips, tricks and information on my Instagram (@cleaneatinggoddess) account that does not always make it to my blog. So I have made a conscious effort to now include a lot of that information into my posts. A recent tip I posted was about bananas. I use a lot of bananas in my recipes because they are good for you, naturally sweet and give amazing dairy-like texture to non-dairy recipes. They are also an amazing replacement to cut down oil in recipes as they add so much moisture without any fat. They are a key ingredient in my smoothies, pancakes and breads. The problem with bananas seems that they are either too green, not brown enough or a mushy mess whenever we need them most. Heres my tip: Buy 2 bunches of bananas at the grocery store. When they get perfectly spotted, peel and cut the bananas in chunks then place them in a freezer safe bag. Keep them in the freezer to grab and go whenever you need! If you want to make banana bread, simply defrost the bananas for at least an hour and then use them as you would normally. Frozen ripe bananas also help make your smoothies insanely creamy and sweet without the need for any added sugar. Plus, you can also throw them in your food processor and have dairy and sugar free ‘ice cream’. Add in some almond or peanut butter and you have the most delicious snack!

I know some people who are reading my blog are just beginning their journey for a cleaner lifestyle and I know every little bit of information counts. If you don’t have Instagram, I have made every effort to get CEG’s updates on all social media outlets. So, if you have Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, or Facebook you can find me on those outlets to keep yourself updated (click those buttons on the top right). You can also subscribe to my blog (just enter your email on the right sidebar) to get email updates of new posts. As some of you may know, I am an elementary school teacher and school is finally out! That gives me a lot more time to cook, bake and focus on my blog. I have so much exciting news, recipes and information coming and I can’t wait to share it with you all! Now for that cinnamon bun banana bread…

3. Mash bananas well in medium bowl. Then whisk in eggs, vanilla extract, coconut oil and maple syrup until well combined.

4. In a small bowl mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon.

5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix until no lumps remain.

6. Pour only half of the batter in your greased loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Pour the coconut sugar/cinnamon mixture evenly to cover the batter.Then pour remaining batter on top of the cinnamon mixture. Spread evenly with spatula. Add sliced banana (optional).

7.Bake for 40-45 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean from a piercing in the center.

8. Let it cool for a few minutes then carefully run a knife along the edges to make sure nothing is sticking and invert into your hand and onto a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. (You also might want to slice a piece off while its piping hot because its almost impossible not to!)